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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 USOSCE 000258
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR EUR/RPM, S/CT, EUR/PGI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTEROSCEPRELRS
SUBJECT: OSCE PPP CONFERENCE PROVIDES INSIGHT INTO
PARTNERSHIPS AGAINST TERRORISM
Ref: State 62142
¶1. (U) Summary: At the OSCE's May 31-June 1 Conference to promote
Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in countering terrorism,
co-initiated by the U.S. and Russia, more than 300 participants from
58 participating States and Partners as well as several
international organizations discussed the utility of creating
partnerships between the public and private sectors in the fight
against terrorism. Participants discussed ways to promote
inter-faith dialogue, enhance economic development, protect critical
infrastructure, and counter terrorist financing. One recurring
theme was the need to establish trust among all shareholders and to
treat partners as equals, and not subordinates.
¶2. (SBU) There were several interesting, even provocative,
interventions. Ahmed Younis, former member of the Muslim Public
Affairs Council and member of the U.S. delegation, contended that
efforts by many Western countries to encourage secularism among
Muslim youths are often ill-conceived and argued that a better
approach would be to use "good theology to fight bad theology." The
representative from the Russian Vneshtorgbank noted ongoing efforts
between the GOR and major Russian companies to promote economic
development in the northern Caucasus. One Russian keynote speaker
presented, in essence, a rationalization for curtailing freedom of
speech on the Internet (this despite considerable U.S. efforts to
avoid addressing Internet-related issues at all during the
conference). On the other hand, Jan Mares from the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) outlined recent U.S. efforts to establish
PPPs in 17 sectors ranging from agriculture to telecommunications,
while one keynote speaker from a Belgian bank complained about the
frustrating lack of feedback from the Belgian government on efforts
to cut off terrorist financing. While many of the issues (such as
human rights and terrorist financing) have been covered by the OSCE
in other fora, the conference did put PPPs on the radar screen for
many States while providing useful background on how successful
partnerships can increase security. End summary
Opening Session
---------------
¶3. (U) Russian Special Representative on CT Issues Anatoliy Safonov
noted the importance of the conference as it was the first time that
such a "tri-partite approach" of governments, private sector and
NGOs had been encouraged to combat terrorism. He noted the
preparations, in consultation with the U.S. and the OSCE, had taken
a year,. Governments and others needed to create their own
"ecospheres" where freedom and tolerance could thrive and to counter
extremist ideology. He underscored the fact that so much attention
had been focused on where U.S.-Russian relations had problems but
the close cooperation on CT issues showed how well the two sides
could and do work together.
¶4. (U) U.S. Head of Delegation, Acting S/CT Frank Urbancic, endorsed
Safonov's comments on the importance of the conference and noted
that the PPP concept had been explored in the G-8 and elsewhere in a
limited manner. Though states have done much to combat terrorist
financing and strengthen borders, terrorist groups like al-Qaida
have been able to adapt and exploit weaknesses, such as using the
Internet to train, recruit and raise funds. The approach to
combating terror has to be at global, national and local levels.
Technology has been a two-edged sword, improving connectivity for
the common citizens but also for extremists. Businesses, youth
groups, women's organizations all have a role to play in empowering
the disenfranchised.
Addressing Underlying Economic Factors
--------------------------------------
¶5. (U) Aleksey Yeroshkin, Senior VP at Vneshtorgbank, said that
while international terrorist groups have some USD 20 billion at
their disposal, World Bank reports indicate that two-thirds of the
countries in the world have seen a rise in poverty and often a
concomitant rise in extremism. This showed the need for the private
sector, encouraged by government tax breaks, to help invest in
distressed areas,. Companies have an incentive in rooting out
global threats that could undermine their operations. In Russia,
the major focus has been to encourage regional development with the
hope that the foundation for extremism will dry up. To that end, a
private-state initiative has been set up, with support from Gazprom
and others, to fund projects in the Caucasus, including Chechnya,
where social and civil structures need to be restored. He also
noted that in attacks since 9/11, the Dow and other markets have
lost only one percent of value, which seems to indicate that
companies have begun to take terrorism into account in their
long-run calculations; however, he urged that we should never get
used to the threat of terrorism.
USOSCE 00000258 002 OF 004
¶6. (U) Rachel Briggs, from the British NGO DEMOS, said post-9/11
governments committed the typical "deer in the headlights" mistake
of focusing on global dynamics, which paralyzed people and
monopolized attention, while ignoring the community level. She said
that for a few individuals, terrorism is a "rational choice;" the
goal for society should be to alter that calculus, to drive a wedge
between the "good guys" and the extremists. Instead, governments
often drive a wedge between Muslim communities and the rest of
society. This was short-sighted as Muslim communities can be an
important source of intelligence and can help divert youth from
extremism. She noted that partnership is not a low-risk strategy as
governments can often be accused of "appeasement," while local
communities may be wary of being co-opted. Partnerships have to be
equal; governments cannot always be in the lead. She noted it took
the UK 30 years of fighting in Northern Ireland to learn that "the
hardware is not effective without the software."
¶7. (U) Not surprisingly, many participants took issue with the
statement that marginalized populations were more vulnerable to turn
to extremism. Armenian Ambassador Tabibian noted Bin Laden and
other terrorists were not only middle class, if not rich, but also
highly educated. Moreover, there is little in common between the
Oklahoma City bombings, carried out by white Midwesterners, and the
London Tube bombings, done by the sons of immigrants. The only
commonalities are anger, a sense of powerlessness and the desire to
right some perceived wrong. Uzbek Ambassador Usupov said
"Londonistan," known for its prosperity and tolerance, now faces
homegrown extremists and noted that HMG has taken no actions against
Hizb ut-Tahrir, viewed as a terrorist group by Central Asian states.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) representative
said big business is often suspect as it can be seen as a key
exploiter of labor in many countries. He also stressed that there
is no such thing as "Islamic terrorism," rather terrorist acts
carried out by people who purport to be Islamic, as the religion
itself upholds moderation, tolerance and diversity as core values
and condemns all forms of violence against civilians.
Promoting Tolerance and Inter-faith Dialogue
--------------------------------------------
¶8. (U) During the second session, with EUR/FO Farah Pandith as
moderator, Mark Tverdynin of the Russian Association of Electronic
Communications (RAEC) noted the growing threat of terrorist
propaganda by groups like al-Qaida on the Internet given its wide
distribution, low cost and ease of use. To counter this, Russia
introduced the Antiterrorist Convention, a set of voluntary rules
for journalists covering terrorist acts and the topic of terrorism.
The GOR has focused on shutting down terrorist sites; hotlines have
been set up to alert police to suspicious sites. He noted that
technical devices and filters are being used to block such sites at
schools and elsewhere. The GOR has encouraged businesses to provide
grants and financing to promote tolerance over the Internet. It has
also created RUnet and other sites to provide news, research
materials on CT issues, and recommendations on what to do in case of
a terrorist act. This partnership, however, needs to be increased,
to include "support of self-regulation" on the Internet,
"reorienting Internet-ethics of users" to respecting the rights of
others; and encouraging the private sector to provide more financial
support.
¶9. (SBU) Comment: For months, USOSCE stressed to the Russian
delegation that any discussion of curtailing First Amendment rights,
such as its "clean the Net" initiatives, would cross USG redlines.
The GOR eventually said it would accept limited discussion of the
Internet as part of critical infrastructure. It then ignored U.S.
concerns and made its points anyway. After the presentations, HOD
Urbancic took the floor to briefly stress the importance of the COE
Convention on Cybercrime, as that outlines how to deal with
terrorism on the Internet. End Comment.
¶10. (U) Ahmed Younis, author, former member of the Muslim Public
Action Committee and member of the U.S. del, said it was important
for young Muslims to be able to fully integrate into society,
otherwise they will be more prone to recruitment by extremists. For
this reason, it is critical for European countries to openly discuss
their concept of national identity and how Muslims integrate into
societies. Moderate voices also need to come forward and speak out
against extremism as Muslims must be at the forefront of any effort
to combat extremism. He said the private sector can also play a
role by providing support, helping disseminate this message. It is
wrong to believe that the more deeply religious a person, the
greater his vulnerability to extremism. Many societies are plagued
by "imported imams" or "uneducated street preachers" who are able to
make inroads with youths with false teachings of Islam. Younis
contended that "bad theology" can only be fought with "good
USOSCE 00000258 003 OF 004
theology" -- not by goading people to become secularized -- and
called for increased efforts to educate and train local religious
leaders, though this process could take decades.
¶11. (U) There was considerable interest by other participants in
making comments. The International Federation of Human Rights
(FIDH) welcomed efforts to bring civil society to work with
governments against terrorism and said NGOs had expertise to monitor
PPP activities. However, there is a need for corporate social
responsibility and international standards. FIDH believes the OSCE
should encourage NGO monitoring of PPPs. OIC stated its support for
PPPs and agreed with the importance of full integration of Muslim
communities into European societies and the need to avoid any
reference to a "clash of civilizations." Egypt endorsed Younis'
comments, contending that extremist thought can only be tackled by
real imams who preach the message of Islam as a religion of peace.
There have also been some terrorists who have renounced their ways
publicly, which has helped bolster moderate voices.
Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP)
----------------------------------
¶12. (U) The third session impressed most participants with its
thoroughness and its practical recommendations. Keynote speaker
Trefor Munn-Venn, Associate Director of the Conference Board of
Canada, a think tank, noted that PPPs to protect critical
infrastructure are vital since up to 85 percent is either owned or
operated by the private sector. He noted PPPs can be used in
response to terrorist attacks and to natural disasters and
differentiated between risk management (e.g., dealing with hurricane
seasons in south Florida) and the much more difficult task of
uncertainty management (where no likelihood of an event can be
established, such as a terrorist attack at a shopping mall). He
listed six key principles of successful PPPs:
-- Cooperation and coordination: Actors need to work together
towards a common goal without duplication or gaps. An obvious
point, but as shown during Hurricane Katrina, not often followed.
-- Mandates and resources must be established and coordinated with
all actors. Organizations often assume mandates during a crisis
when they do not have one.
-- Clear, frequent and credible communication: This fosters trust
and the sharing of information, providing the foundation for a
lasting relationship and helps reassure the public during a crisis.
-- Fairness: All stakeholders must be treated fairly. The
allocation of scare resources must be discussed and decided upon
before a crisis occurs, e.g., who gets Tamiflu in a pandemic. The
elderly? First-responders? What about first-responders from
another country coming to help?
-- Continuous learning: Experience should lead to refinements in
our procedures and actions. We should share our experiences - both
positive and negative - with each other in order to speed up the
learning process.
-- Leadership/ Accountability: While you cannot control what
happens, you can control how you respond. The quality of leadership
during a crisis can have a long-lasting impact on the ability of a
company or a city to recover.
All of these principles take time - and training - to develop.
Munn-Venn argued that it is critical for governments to begin
creating partnerships before a crisis occurs. He urged participants
to take best practices a step further and identify "next practices"
- the practices that will be important in five or ten years from
now.
¶13. (U) U.S. keynote speaker Jan Mares from DHS observed that PPPs
are an important tool in preventing, protecting against or preparing
for terrorist attacks and enhancing a nation's resilience. PPPs
should not be viewed as a means to shift a public burden to the
private sector. In fact, successful PPPs provide benefits to all
parties, and speed recovery from disasters. Mares cited several
examples of the Critical Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Councils
set up through DHS. They are divided into 17 sectors, ranging from
telecommunications, food/agriculture, transportation, and commercial
facilities. National Infrastructure Protection Plans have been
developed by the USG in conjunction with the private sector on a
voluntary basis for each sector. The various sectors then designed
specific plans that assess risks, define appropriate protective
measures and establish the boundaries, membership and governance for
their sectors. Mares concluded that for PPPs to be successful, they
must have "champions" from both the public and private sectors, and
there has to be a "business case" or "value proposition" to make the
partnership attractive to the private sector.
¶14. (SBU) The third keynoter, Bernard Boube, Director of the State
USOSCE 00000258 004 OF 004
Protection and Security Department, gave details on the French
approach, which made clear that France takes a very rigid top-down
approach that provides little opportunity for the private sector to
influence policy or activities.
¶15. (U) In the discussion that followed, a representative from the
UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)
provided information on its initiatives to enhance PPPs, such as
collecting data, which will be used to identify barriers to
cooperation between sectors, and elaborating practices, protocols
and guidelines to assist States in developing PPPs. Estonia focused
on the extensive cyber attacks that it had experienced over the past
few weeks and said it was able to handle the attacks due to existing
PPPs, but argued that more international cooperation is needed on
cyber terrorism. Sweden raised the issue of electromagnetic
terrorism and said it is currently conducting a PPP pre-study, with
Saab and others, possibly to establish a research center in the near
future.
Countering Terrorist Financing
-------------------------------
¶16. (U) Panelist Bob Upton from Lloyds Bank said banks have worked
closely to increase security measures and to report any suspicious
transactions. His lessons learned: Sanctions and unofficial lists
are of limited values because of Arabic name transliteration and
lack of specific personal information (such as DPOB). Data mining
has shown that financially, most terrorists do not exhibit anything
unusual: they have checking and savings accounts and usually do not
transfer large amounts of money. His major conclusion was that the
banking sector needs to have some "nugget of intelligence" from
governments so it can look for someone in particular, rather than
studying transactions in general.
¶17. (U) Bruno van den Meerschaut, Chief Money Laundering Officer for
KBC Bank, said one of his main incentives was to keep the bank's
name out of news reports linked to money laundering, as happened a
few years ago. He complained that despite considerable efforts made
by the bank over the past few years, they have never received any
feedback whatsoever from the Belgian Financial Terrorism Unit and
thus have no idea of whether their efforts were useful. Repeating a
theme that ran throughout the conference, he urged governments to
consider banks as equal partners.
¶18. (U) Aleksandr Pirilegin from the Russian firm Norilsk Nickel
observed that during the Russian G-8 Presidency, they outlined the
risks of the illegal sale by terrorists of precious metals, such as
gold and platinum. He advocated the introduction of customs
declarations and import controls, similar to unprocessed diamonds
and asked that the OSCE support such measures.
¶19. (SBU) Comment: While many of the issues (such as human rights
and terrorist financing) have been covered by the OSCE in other
fora, the conference did put PPPs on the radar screen of many States
for the first time. Session 3 on CIP gave a great deal of good,
practical information, an area that perhaps could be expanded in the
future, as the presentation by the French shows how even many
Western European countries do not fully grasp the PPP concept.
Moreover, the conference was greatly praised by Russian FM Lavrov
during his visit here and repeatedly by Russian Ambassador
Borodavkin in several PC interventions. The Russian mission here is
already pushing for follow-up activities. End comment